THE GREAT LADY OF ALKION

CHAPTER 38

ALKION
Therese entered Aretha's room to find her for a small chat. She had been busy for the past days and she had not seen or talked much to Aretha who was now like her little child now that Astrid was married already.
She saw a note lying on the bed and when she took it to read it, Aretha walked in.
"What are you doing here ?"
"I came to see you and spend some time with you. It has been a while."
"It has," she said as she walked towards Therese and took the note from her.
"Who wrote that to you ? Who is A ?"
" It's no one important."
"Where are you going ? You're all dressed up to go riding."
"I'm just going out for a ride."
"Maybe I should come with you. I haven't been on a horse for months now. It will be great to ride with you like we did when you were younger."
"Thank you for the offer but I'll be fine. I'll have guards with me and I need some fresh air. We will arrange our own ride together someday soon."
"You are so secretive nowadays. Why is that ? If you're not out riding, you're either in your room, painting alone or staying alone in thought. Don't you want to spend time with us ?"
Therese was asking way too many questions and she did not like it.
"Or do you have someone in mind ? Is he A ?"
"Enough aunt!" she shouted.
" Aunt ?" Therese asked in disbelief. Never had Aretha addressed her as aunt. She was only her aunt but she was now used to Aretha referring to her as her mother.
" I need to leave," she said and left Therese alone.

Mounting her horse,she galloped it away followed by three guards. She rode and rode until she got close to the woods.
" Wait for me here," she said as she turned to look at her guards.
"I don't think you should ride into the woods alone. If something happened to you, the king and princess will kill us."
"I'm just going to ride alone. I deserve some alone time,don't you think ?" she snapped.
" Do understand our situation my lady," the guard replied.
" Give me an hour. If I am not back by then, follow me and find me."
" But my lady..,"
" No buts. That was an order."
With that she rode fast leaving her guards worried for her safety. A few minutes later, she heard some movements from afar. She took out her bow and an arrow ready to shoot. She listened keenly and the movements got closer and closer. That was a horse trotting. The horse and its rider came into view and she put her weapons down.
"Would you have shot that arrow at me ?"
"I'm sorry Julian. I have to be careful when I'm out here," she said as she put her arrow back in its quiver. She then looked at the man she had so desired.
"Where are you going ? Why are you alone here ?"
"I'm just riding around. I need some time alone."
"And your guards ?" he asked as he dismounted and walked towards her. She was about to dismount hers when he opened his arms out to her.
"Let me," he said. 
With a smile, she steadied herself on his arms and dismounted. Oh how she loved how strong his arm muscles felt and how his eyes made her fall for him more and more. She had to make him hers now that Astrid was out of the picture. He looked at her and his eyes looked into hers and he bit his lip. There was a strong temptation for her to just throw herself at him and kiss him. She would rip his shirt off not breaking their kiss as she moved her hands all over his body.
"They are waiting for me back there," she answered to distract herself from her wild thoughts.
" Oh," he said and he looked away disappointed. He knew that he wanted something to happen between them.
"Where are you from ?"
"Just riding around as well."
" Are you going back to your house ?"
" I am. Why ? Do you want to come along ?"he asked with a smirk.
Of course she would go to his house with him.
"Just say yes Aretha. You know that you'll have some privacy and you could have him for yourself. Astrid is no longer here and you could make him yours," a thought ran through her mind.
" You'd be dead if your grandfather found out," another thought.
" No thank you," she said." Not today. I will visit you very soon though if you want me to."
" I love the sound of that," he said as he moved away a loose strand of his hair from his temple." Do visit."
" I will."
" I'll leave you now."
He lifted her and placed her on her horse before he mounted his.
" Be careful,"he said." You wouldn't want us looking all over for you again."
" I will be. Thank you."
With a nod, he rode away. She looked at him until he disappeared into the trees. She rode on to do what she was to do.
She tied her horse onto a tree and walked into a small cave just ahead. Audelia was looking at her horse.
" I hope that I didn't keep you waiting," Aretha said.
" You didn't," she said.
" This is an amazing place to meet. It's well hidden as compared to our previous meeting place."
" Did your aunt stop suspecting you ?"
" She did but she almost read the letter you sent me. Luckily she didn't know who A was. She thinks that I have a man in mind."
" Be careful. We have been planning this for long and we don't want anyone foiling our plans."
" I will be careful Audelia."
" Good."
" I bumped into Julian when I was coming over."
" Oh you did ?" Audelia asked and she seemed uneasy for a minute." You've told me about him. How are the both of you ?"
" There is no both Audelia. I think he still loves Astrid so I'll take things slow. Maybe with time, he will love me."
" Don't you worry," Audelia said." With time,things will slowly fall into place."

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